2 homes seized after 6 coke syndicate convictions

Thursday, November 01, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Federal officials have seized two Jersey City properties in the wake of the conviction of six men who were part of a syndicate that ran 10 kilos of cocaine per week into Hudson County, officials said.

Brothers Arsenio Arzola, 36, Ben Arzola, 40, and Misael Arzola, 28 - all of Jersey City - as well as Ruben Soto, 30, of Newark; Domingo Hernandez, 36, of Ledgewood, and Maximino Nieves, 34, of West Orange, were convicted of conspiracy to traffic cocaine in a quantity greater than 5 kilos, officials said. The offense carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Arsenio Arzola was also charged with firing a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol at a Drug Enforcement Administration agent when he and his five co-defendants were rounded up June 30, 2005. His lawyer argued Arzola opened fire in self-defense, not knowing that those bursting into his home were police.

Federal authorities seized properties belonging to the Arzolas at 115 and 160 Harrison Ave.

Trial testimony revealed that from late 1999 through June 2005, the organization trafficked more than $1 million in cocaine into Jersey City.

They used homes and apartments in the city as stash houses to store drugs, records and tools, including presses, scales and razor blades, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Michael Drewniak said.

The jury deliberated until Monday, when it told the court it was deadlocked on the additional charges Arzola faced, assault and using a firearm during an assault on a DEA agent. Also, the jury could not reach a verdict on a gun charge against Ben Arzola. A mistrial was declared on those charges.

The jury convicted Arsenio and Misael Arzola on the additional charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, and Arsenio Arzola and Hernandez were found guilty of weapons possession.

During the execution of numerous search warrants on June 30, 2005, investigators seized about $160,000 in cash, more than 5 kilos of cocaine, numerous vehicles, and various drug tools and paraphernalia, Drewniak said.

The case also involved the arrest and prosecution of 30 more people.

Because of their prior criminal histories, Arsenio Arzola faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and Domingo Hernandez faces a minimum of 20 years in prison.